Greensboro College Theatre Presents "Small Engine Repair" Sept. 1-4

"GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Greensboro College Theatre opens its 2016-2017 season Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 1-4, with a production of John Pollono's "Small Engine Repair."

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 1-3 and 2 p.m. Sept. 3-4 in the Annie Sellars Jordan Parlor Theatre in Main Building on campus. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors/non-GC students, and may be reserved by calling 336-272-7102, ext. 5242, or emailing tickets@greensboro.edu.

The play, a comic thriller, focuses on former high-school buddies Frank, Swaino and Packie, all now past their prime, who meet after hours one night in Frank's out-of-the-way repair shop under cloudy circumstances that only Frank seems to have a handle on. Enter Chad, a plugged-in, preppy college jock, whose arrival ignites a long-simmering resentment.

The New York Times called "Small Engine Repair" "raw, funny and well-tooled," while the Los Angeles Times called it "a psychological thriller worthy of Hitchcock" and the New York Post called it "tawdry, nasty and fun." LA Weekly said it is "an exquisitely modulated gem of a play, gripping the viewer with a storyline that is both shocking and sobering in its commentary on modern interactions in the technological age."

The play, directed by David Schram, Jefferson Pilot Professor of Theatre at Greensboro College, features adult language and situations and is not recommended for younger audiences.

The rest of the program's 2016-2017 productions include:

• "Sugar," Oct. 20-23
• Four student-directed one-act plays, Dec. 1-4.
• "The Complete History of America (Abridged)," Feb. 23-26
• "Much Ado About Nothing," March 30-April 2
• "Tonin'," April 28-30

Greensboro College's Department of Theatre seeks to provide a strong foundation in theatre while allowing the student to emphasize in a particular area such as directing, acting, or arts administration.

The coursework is integrated with the production work to provide a better understanding of the many facets of the theatre. Required participation on stage or backstage on all theatre productions allows the techniques and theories that are examined in the classroom and the laboratory to be tested in a performance setting.

For more information on the program, contact Schram at 336-272-7102, ext. 5243, or email schramd@greensboro.edu.  

Greensboro College provides a liberal-arts education grounded in the traditions of the United Methodist Church and fosters the intellectual, social, and, spiritual development of all students while supporting their individual needs.

Founded in 1838 and located near downtown Greensboro, the college enrolls about 1,000 students from 29 states and territories, the District of Columbia and seven foreign countries in its undergraduate liberal-arts program and four master's degree programs. In addition to rigorous academics and a well-supported Honors program, the school features a 17-sport NCAA Division III athletic program and dozens of service and recreational opportunities."

- A Press Release